Clown loach turned nasty (eating tench alive!)

[felixxx]

I came home today to find my tench severely grazed on both flanks and a busted eye. When my girlfriend arrived home she said the clown loach were attacking it. Initially i was sceptical but then witnessed it for myself.
I have 20 clown loach from 2"- 7" and they have always attempted to shoal with the tench much to its alarm! This time however the smaller ones were literally tearing into the flanks with their mouths.
The tench has now been moved to another tank.
Has anyone else witnessed this strange behaviour? I have just removed a grammodes from the tank due to it trying to kill everything, could the clown loach have been turned!?

 

[felixxx]

Before you ask its a 180g with a few other tankmates:
4" frontosa
2 plecs 8" and 12"
2 4" gourami
8" uaru a
4" angel fish
4" bristlenose
I have noticed a small amount of what i believe to be white fungal growth, on the edge of tail of the uaru, 1 clown loach and also a gourami.
Should i treat with melafix or will my 50% weekly wcs suffice?

 

[Allan01230]

Wow you had a grammodes in there with that stock? Never seen an agressive clown loach but that doesn'r mean it is not possible.

 

[felixxx]

The grammodes was only small, got to 4" before i came in to find lots of split fins!

 

[syddakyd]

na loaches do this fequently. i had yoyos attacking a wound in my old parrot cichlid. loaches love to eat fish flesh. my old clowns would demolish dead fish too

 

[12 Volt Man]

remember, clowns are botias and all botias can have a nasty side.

I have had to get rid of a school because they were attacking my redhooks before.

it can certainly happen.